Energy consumption is a major obstacle for realizing a practical bi-direction RF remote control, as well as many other electronic devices. In such devices, energy is consumed and wasted when an infrequently used radio device must be responsive. Currently known devices generally utilize a periodic power-up and sample as a mechanism for conserving energy. In such devices, the less frequent the power-up and sample cycle, the more energy saved. However, decreasing the sample rate makes the device less responsive, since it may have to await the next sample before it can awaken.